


If You Jump I'll Break Your Fall

by ThatBohoFemme



Series: Tsavd danem [3]
Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Awkwardness, Boys Being Boys, Comfort/Angst, Confusion, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, M/M, Spoilers for RAW 8/31/20, Tags Are Hard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:00:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27022411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatBohoFemme/pseuds/ThatBohoFemme
Summary: Mustafa seethes with rage, as he searches for Buddy.It takesallof Mustafa's willpower to not find Seth and make him pay.Buddy deserves so much more than that man gives.
Relationships: Mustafa Ali/Buddy Murphy
Series: Tsavd danem [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1890469
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	If You Jump I'll Break Your Fall

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mithen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mithen/gifts), [RedLeaderfic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedLeaderfic/gifts).



> Takes place on 8/31/2020 after RAW. I'm running like 6 weeks behind on these fics but I hope you enjoy them the way I've enjoyed writing them! 
> 
> Title taken from [Crash and Burn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W60IPexop30) by Savage Garden. 
> 
> Shout-out to Storyranger, my patiently amazing Beta!

The Amway Center's bigger than Mustafa initially anticipates. There are dark corners, passages and small hallways everywhere he looks. It's easy to get lost, making it increasingly difficult to find someone who's willingly disappeared. 

Mustafa can't begin to imagine where Buddy might be. He hasn't left- his car's still here. He's _somewhere_ \- not that knowing that really helps Mustafa. 

Mustafa seethes with rage, as he searches for Buddy. _What_ gave Seth the right to treat someone like that? Clearly, it had been an accident. 

It takes _all_ of Mustafa's willpower to not find Seth and make him pay. 

Buddy deserves so much more than that man gives. 

"Come on." Mustafa hides in the dark corner, and tries to call him. He knows this is pointless but he can't help trying. It's been 20 minutes and he's checked everywhere obvious. "I'll keep looking for you as long as I need to." 

He doesn't understand what keeps bringing him together with Buddy. It's the oddest thing. They're continually drawn together, be it by fate or choice. 

Also, there's the little matter of _Seth_. 

Any sane person would run from anyone so heavily involved with Seth Rollins. 

While extremely practical, Mustafa _never_ backs down when he wants something (or someone). 

"Think like Buddy." Mustafa squeezes his eyes shut, and impatiently taps his foot against the tile. He's checked every place obvious. 

He couldn't have gotten far. 

Opening his eyes, he spins around and his gaze falls on a set of bright orange double doors with a sign typed in Comic Sans attached with a piece of black Duck Tape. 

_Smokers Only._

Now that would be a place to hide, especially if a person didn't actually smoke. 

Mustafa shoves the doors open and steps outside. The humidity threatens to swallow him up but he pushes through. The area is dark and quiet- it's the perfect place to hide. 

"Don't you know vigilantes are on the loose?" 

Mustafa jumps as the disembodied voice hits him. He gazes around, scanning the darkness. He knows that voice- it's the voice that haunts his dreams. 

_Buddy._

"Over here." 

Mustafa spins around, finally noticing Buddy sitting on a transformer. He crosses over, and pulls himself up beside him. "Taking cues from Elias?" 

"Hey, I can't spend all that time with him and not learn a few tricks." 

"You're quite the Houdini." Mustafa pulls his legs into a lotus, and turns his head to face Buddy. "I've learned more about Amway than I've ever wanted to know just trying to find you." 

"Didn't want to be found." Buddy shrugs as if saying _all there is to it._ "Humiliated in front of the world." 

Mustafa resists the urge to speak. He knows Buddy doesn't need him to offer platitudes. He just needs _someone_ to listen. 

"I can leave." Mustafa starts scooting off the box when Buddy stops him with a hand to the thigh. 

"Stay." 

Mustafa catches a full look at Buddy in the dim glow of the security light. His hair's disheveled in an odd half up and half down bun. His eyes are heavy and red rimmed as if he'd been crying. 

Mustafa's never seen Buddy look quite so small. It's a jarring sight. 

" _It was a fucking accident_ ," Buddy hisses. "Like I would ever intentionally get in his way." 

"Shh." Mustafa wraps an arm around Buddy's shoulders and pulls him close to his side. He's getting too close but he chooses not to care. Maybe this is a mistake but he can't leave Buddy to deal with this on his own. 

"Do you want to get out of here?" They're both free to leave and that's probably a good thing. 

The more space Mustafa can put between Buddy and Seth, the better it is for everyone involved. 

"Please." 

They arrange to leave Buddy's car at the arena. It costs 50 bucks, slipped to a sympathetic security guard but Mustafa considers it money well-spent. Buddy's in no condition to drive. 

"You okay?" It's strange to see Buddy so quiet. How could this be the guy who made the first move that night in Los Angeles?

"Promise I'm fine." Buddy rests his head against the passenger side window, focusing more on the scenery passing by. "Just tired." 

"You're not sleeping." Mustafa mutters a string of swears under his breath. He'd gotten a few middle of the night text messages from Buddy but Mustafa had never made the connection that it was because he wasn't sleeping. 

"Nightmares." Buddy pulls further away from Mustafa. "Almost blinded a man- it's not the kind of thing a person easily forgets." 

"You got caught up in the moment." This doesn't excuse Buddy's behavior but it goes a _long_ way in explaining it. 

"Can we let it go?" Buddy suddenly sounds wearier than Mustafa's ever heard. 

Mustafa nods, focusing harder on the road ahead. 

"You okay with cold pizza?" He can stop somewhere but it's late and Buddy looks like he hasn't slept in weeks. Best to be practical. 

"I'm not all that hungry." Buddy exhales, his attention still focused out the window. "All I want is an extremely hot shower and a chance to forget tonight ever happened." 

"Well, you're in luck." Mustafa talks faster in a desperate bid to fill the silence. "My building happens to be old and shitty but it somehow has _two_ perks: hot water and great water pressure." 

"Sounds heavenly." 

Mustafa _hates_ the chasm between them. This isn't the arrogantly charming Buddy who'd made the first move on that fateful night in Los Angeles. Mustafa doesn't actually know who this man is- a fact that is truly terrifying. 

Three turns and a stop at a local gas station for something that isn't tap water to drink later (I have name brand cookies this time, does that help?), they finally make it to the building. Finding someone in his assigned parking place, Mustafa takes a spot on the guest side and leads Buddy up to his door. 

"Mi casa es su casa." Mustafa shoulders into the apartment as the swollen door stubbornly clings to the frame. "I would give you the grand tour but you have been here before." 

"Such a good host." Buddy follows him inside.


End file.
